ARRL Propagation Bulletin ARLP023 (2006)

SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP023
ARLP023 Propagation de K7RA
ZCZC AP23
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 23 ARLP023
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA June 9, 2006
To all radio amateurs
SB PROP ARL ARLP023
ARLP023 Propagation de K7RA
Sunspot counts were lower this week, but it is surprising what has
happened on the ham bands. Operators are still having fun, and still
working long distances, even on VHF, during this low part of the
sunspot cycle. Most of this is due to seasonal sporadic-E
propagation.
Average sunspot numbers dropped 35 points to 19.3 between the last
week in May and the first week of June. Geomagnetic indexes were a
little higher.
In 6-meter news, Scott Avery, WA6LIE in Salinas, California (CM96)
says that on June 1 he worked four stations in Florida from
0000-0100z.
Jim Henderson, KF7E near Phoenix, Arizona said on June 2 that
6-meter conditions on the previous weekend were exceptional, with
propagation to the Carolinas on May 27 and New England on May 28.
May 29 saw openings to Vermont, Connecticut, Maine and New York, and
then "a huge opening to the Pacific Northwest."
Jim also sent along an interesting link to a map of electron
densities, along with plots of reported 6-meter propagation. You can
see it at,
http://69.15.204.66/ionosphere/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=3&tabid=34.
Shelby Ennis, W8WN of Elizabethtown, Kentucky sent a link to,
http://www.vhfdx.net/spots/map.php, that shows real-time maps of VHF
propagation. You can select maps for different bands and various
regions.
There were also reports of great HF conditions during the CQ WPX
contest over the Memorial Day weekend. Sig, N3RS of Glenmoore,
Pennsylvania said he could work Europe until the wee hours on 20
meters, and he had 15 and 20-meter propagation to Japan as well.
Gordon Fogg, N5AU of Rockwall, Texas said that on Sunday night and
Monday, June 4-5, he experienced an amazing 6-meter opening to
Japan. He worked 17 JA stations on CW, and heard many other stations
working them also.
Jon Jones, N0JK of Wichita, Kansas characterized the 6-meter opening
to Japan on Sunday night, June 4 as "massive sporadic-E." Jon said
the Sunday Japan opening favored Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and
Colorado. On Monday stations as far east as Florida, Ohio and
Alabama worked Japan on 6-meters. On Sunday evening, Jon used 100
watts and a 2 element Yagi atop the parking garage at the hospital
where he works and he contacted JA7QVI around 2345z on 50.101 MHz.
Chip Margelli, K7JA of Garden Grove, California wrote to urge
contact with WQ5W, who worked "at least 34 JAs" on 6-meters on
Sunday. Chip worked JH0RNN and JA7QVI on CW.
Alan Benoit, WQ5W wrote, "Yes, we had an amazing opening into JA on
Sunday evening from here in EM12 (near Fort Worth). I worked NL7Z at
2218z on SSB and then noticed in the 6M chat room that JH2COZ was
going to call CQ on 50.096 MHz CW. Not expecting anything, I
listened for his CQ and to my amazement, I heard him 559. He came
back immediately to my call and I worked my first JA ever on 6M!"
Alan continues, "I then proceeded to call CQ on CW further up the
band and had many JAs call me! Between 2227z and 0151z I made 42
QSOs into JA along with 2 KL7s and a few VE7s (all on CW). It was
the most amazing thing I've ever experienced on 6M. I believe all of
this was via Es which makes it even more amazing."
This weekend is the ARRL June VHF QSO Party, a nice excuse for
searching for more 6-meter excitement.
If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.
For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin, see
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ .
Sunspot numbers for June 1 through 7 were 11, 0, 0, 17, 23, 36 and
48 with a mean of 19.3. 10.7 cm flux was 77.2, 75.3, 75.9, 75.6,
77.9, 78, and 82.7, with a mean of 77.5. Estimated planetary A
indices were 13, 8, 4, 2, 4, 23 and 24 with a mean of 11.1.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 10, 5, 2, 1, 2, 15 and 18,
with a mean of 7.6.
NNNN
/EX